TV travel guide Rick Steves announces he has prostate cancer

TV travel guide Rick Steves announced Wednesday that he has cancer, saying on social media that he expects to emerge from the saga all the more grateful and wise.

He said he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center-Seattle next month, but not before he films two episodes of his PBS mainstay "Rick Steves' Europe" in France in the next three weeks.

Afterward, he plans to return for the procedure, rest for a month and be back to his work routine by late October, according to his announcement, posted to Facebook, X and Instagram.

He explained why he doesn't seem too worried about the diagnosis:

"While the statistics tell me I should be just fine, I’ve been fortunate to have never spent a night in a hospital — and I find myself going into this adventure almost like it’s some amazing, really important trip. I feel good about my positive attitude — and I expect to take home some delightful, if intangible, souvenirs like: appreciating and seeing a vibrancy in the little things; appreciating the goodness in people and the treasure of friends and family; being wowed by modern medicine and the army of amazing, smart, and dedicated people that make it possible; appreciating what a blessing life, health, and this world to enjoy is; and — just in general — being more thankful."

Steves is an industry based in Edmonds, Washington, near Seattle, though he spends a third of every year in Europe creating new content and honing the PBS show, printed guides and guided tours that make up his enterprise. He also guides visitors with his “Travel with Rick Steves” radio show, available via public radio airwaves and through commercial radio juggernaut iHeartRadio’s podcasting platforms.

"There's a clear path forward to getting healthy," he said Wednesday, as though his diagnosis is a road map for a new adventure.